If You Had To Do It All Again Would You Go Straight For RN Instead?!

Nursing Students LPN-RN

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I'm doing some pre-reqs for nursing school right now and heard about a good LPN school close to where I live. I'm now contemplating becoming a LPN first and then doing my RN studies online. Just wanted feedback from some of you doing the same. I would ideally like to be a RN because I have a big interest in legal nursing, but I'm wondering if LPN would be a better bet than doing 5 more pre-req courses and a HHA course in addition to an 18 month wait for the RN program. My mother is an LPN and feels she got a great background in clinicals and more so than some RN. This is back in the 80's so things might have changed, but she did feel her hands on experiece was great. TY to all who reply.

Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.

I was an LPN for almost 18 yrs before I finally graduated (top 10 of my class) with my ADN in 2000. I learned sooo much and was able to handle myself in clinicals much better than my peers who had no previous experience (profs words not mine!!)

I did stay in school and get my BSN..6 yrs later. All while working full time and raising a family.

though it has been a long road i have been fortunate enough to have had great jobs with varied experience... invaluable, imho.

would I change anything?? probably not. my girls watched me go to school and study hard and be successful. that in itself was worth it. Wish I could have afforded to work less and take more classes at once instead of one at a time. Best of luck whichever road you choose.

Specializes in Hospital-Med Surg, Subacute, Rehab..

Dear RN GRAD, thanks for your words of encouragement, they're greatly appreciated and needed. You are so right, age should not be a factor although family has continued to state " the older you become, the harder it is to concentrate/grasp the material etc." Respect all nurses.

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.

I would have started with the RN but was on all nursing school waiting lists in the area and the LVN program accepted me first.

I was 40 when i finished my ADN and 49 when finally a BSN.

Lots of nursing and life in between.

Dear RN GRAD, thanks for your words of encouragement, they're greatly appreciated and needed. You are so right, age should not be a factor although family has continued to state " the older you become, the harder it is to concentrate/grasp the material etc." Respect all nurses.

You are welcome...Yes and No...I probably did study harder than my younger peers but I was much more motivated. Some did not make it first try because they didn't have their priorities straight. And any previous experience you bring to the table including life experience is invaluable. Some of the stuff I learned in nursing homes has really helped me as a med surg nurse in Neuro since we have quads who require help with bowel care and many RN's are not familiar with the protocol. Anything and everything you can bring to your continued education will help. In many ways I think the rate of learning as a new grad was greatly accelerated partly due to my maturity and cross skills from other jobs. And a lot of my patients think I have been a nurse for a lot longer than I have which also helps. I have confidence in interacting with my patients and they have confidence in me and that goes a long way.

I did my LPN first. I'm currently in the LPN-RN bridge program. My classmates and I are are counting down the days until May 1, 2009! :D

But I have absolutely no regrets about my path and I would not change anything if I had to do it all again.

I am not married, and I have no kids. That was one thing that made me decide LPN first.

Also, I worked as a CNA on a very busy med/surg floor and saw both LPN students and RN students. The LPN students seemed a lot more comfortable and competent. For me, it was a pretty easy choice.

Good luck!!

Where I live, all the ADN programs and every BSN program I spoke with have waiting lists of anywhere from 2-4 years. For most of them, you couldn't even apply until you finished at least one year of pre-req. Our LPN programs are immediate entry. I have opted to go the LPN route, starting very soon. I have also already spoken with the community college about what to do for bridge. I am doing most of my pre-reqs simultanious with my LPN and will transition into the bridge with a gap of only 4 months. There are no waitlists for the bridge. I will have my ADN in 28 months total - far less time than had I gone the wait list route. In fact, I will likely complete my BSN before I would have finished my ADN or depending on the school, even started the program.

I also chose the LPN to RN route just in case I needed to jump out and make money. I am a single mom and will be living off of child support while I go to school for these two years. I like having the back up of knowing I have a license and can work. I am also expecting to work part time while in RN school - at least for part of it. I mainly want the experience.

Based on the LPN as my starting place, I have a plan in place for school through my BSN and I have a potential plan for my MSN or NP depending on what I find in the nursing world that becomes my passion. I will not stop my education with anything less than a BSN.

I'm glad that I decided to go straight through w/o a break . I don't think that I would be able to find the motivation to return to school after working a few years. The LPN year was torture and this year is proving no different.

If I did get a chance to do it all over again I would have gone straight to an RN first. Yes bridging from an LVN to RN is fast but it does have it's consequences of good and bad. Like the expense and politics and the staff at school just. It's really all up to you but I would go straight to become an RN.

no, i wouln't

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